Spring-hinge



(No Model.)

, J. H. ALEXANDER.

SPRING HINGE.

No. 303,337. I Patented Nov. 25, 1334.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR N, PETERS. Pmmmm n w. Washinglom ac.

NITED STATES PATENT SPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.

308,337, dated November 25, 1884.

Application filed January 10, 1584. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia. in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Hinges; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichi'orm part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is an elevation of my improved hinge. Fig. 2 is a detail view.

My invention relates to spring-hinges; and my improvements have special reference to means for producing and increasing the tension of the springs and for relieving such tension. The tension is obtained by means of a pair of ratchet-collars below the spring; and my improvements relate to constructing the moving ratchet with interdental spaces which receive the teeth of the fixed ratchet, and which also form sockets for the reception of a lever or adjusting device. The tension is relieved by moving the washer to which the upper end of the spring is secured downwardly on the pintle; and my improvements in this connection consist in forming the said washer with an external lug and one of the leaves of the spring with an intercepting project-ion or shoulder, said washer having also a socket or recess for the reception of a pin or lever, whereby it is crowded down against the spring, so as to bring its lug out of alignment or engagement with the shoulder on the hinge-leaf.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A and B represent the two leaves of a hinge having, respectively, lugs or eyes a a and b b for the passage of a pintle, O, which is a round bolt with a head, 0.

E is a ratchet, which encircles the pintle C and rests upon the eye a of leaf A. It has ratchet-teeth e e on the upper side, and a laterally-projecting lug, e", which bears against said leaf.

F is another ratchet surrounding the pintle 0, having a slot, f, for fastening or receiving and described.

the end 9 of the spiral spring G. This ratchet has its teeth ff on its lower side, and the interdental spaces are extended inwardly to form sockets f permitting the insertion of an adjusting lever or device (such as a common nail) to. facilitate the turning of said ratchet F on ratchet E to obtain and increase the tension of said spring G. The upper end, 9, of said spring fits in a slot, h, in a washer, H, encircling pintle O. Said washerhasaiateral projecting lug, h,which bears against a projection or shoulder, If, on leaf B when tension is produced on spring G. Said washer is also formed with a socket or recess, h on its upper side, into which may be inserted the end of a nail or lever to crowd or press the washer down on the spring, compressing the latter to permit the lug h to clear shoulder b and thus relieve the torsion of said spring G, the lug a of leaf A serving as a fulcrum for said lever or nail. 7

What I claim as my invention is as follows:

1. In a spring-hinge. the locking-ratchet E, havinginterdental spaces adapted to receive the teeth of an engaging ratchet, and forming sockets over said teeth for the reception of a nail or adjusting device, substantially as shown 2. In a spring-hinge having a shoulder or lug, b", on one of its leaves, a Washer, H, having a laterally-projecting lug, h, which engages with said shoulder, and having a slot,

It. for fastening the end of a spiral spring thereto, substantially as shown and described.

' 3. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with the wings A B and spiral spring G, of alocking-ratchet located at one end of the spring, and a washer or collar for releasing the tension of the spring, located at the other end of the latter, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of December, 1883.

. JAMES H. ALEXANDER.

\Vitn esses:

THOS. O. CoNNoLLY, ANDREW ZANE, Jr. 

